At a time when U.S.-Russia relations are tense, Washington is seeking to foster pragmatic cooperation with five former Soviet Republics from central Asia, despite concerns that include human rights offenses and human trafficking. As VOA State Department correspondent Nike Ching reports, this effort to expand relations was evident (Wednesday) as foreign ministers from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan gathered for the first time in Washington.